Cookbook Club Draws a Crowd to the Library

The Scarsdale Cookbook Club brought two well-received guests to the library to share their culinary, diet and lifestyle wisdom.

Victoria Moran provided inspiration to vegans and non-vegans alike at the Scarsdale Public Library on Saturday, October 8. Highlighting the health benefits of veganism, its advantages for the planet, and the ethical rationale behind her commitment not to eat or wear animals or animal products, Moran also offered practical tips for leading a vegan lifestyle. One of her missions is to enable people to live healthy and compassionate lives as Main Street Vegans® in the real world. Moran is the author of numerous books, including the iconic Main Street Vegan, she is the founder of the Main Street Vegan Academy, which trains and certifies vegan lifestyle coaches, and she hosts the Main Street Vegan radio show/podcast. Those who attended her talk were treated to complimentary passes to SoulCycle, and they sampled vegan fare courtesy of the newly opened Organic Pharmer on Garth Road and Masala Kraft Café, a vegetarian Indian restaurant, on East Hartsdale Avenue. The event was part of the Scarsdale Public Library's Scarsdale Cookbook Club series.

On Sunday November 6th, attendees were treated to an Indian cooking demonstration and food tasting from Masala Kraft Café, a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Hartsdale. Chef, cookbook author and blogger Rinku Bhattacharya created aloo gobi, which is cauliflower and potatoes, while sharing her thoughts on Indian cooking, spices and sources for good ingredients. Rinku is the author of food blog, "The Spice Chronicles" and also wrote "Spices and Season, a cookbook of "simple, sustainable Indian flavors."

As she waited for the ingredients to simmer, she offered a few cooking tips, such as extending the life of spices by storing them in the refrigerator. She also discussed the health benefits of commonly used Indian spices like cumin which is said to be good for digestion, ginger that improves your mood and cayenne pepper to regulate blood pressure.

Where are the best places to buy Indian ingredients? Rinku recommended Bhavak in Elmsford, Swami on Main Street in New Rochelle and Patel Bros. in Norwalk. 

Of course the easiest way to enjoy some of her recipes is to go to Masala Kraft in Hartsdale and order off the menu.

Here is a recipe from The Spice Chronicles:

Slow Cooker Alu Gobi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes

A simple slow cooker version of alu gobi, a classic Indian staple pairing potatoes, cauliflowers and green peas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
11/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 medium sized red onion, grated
2 teaspoons freshly ground coriander powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
11/2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
3/4 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon salt or two taste
1 medium sized head of cauliflower (about 1 pound)
2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 tomatoes, diced or 3/4 cup jarred tomatoes
3/4 cup of frozen green peas
2 tablespoons coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 or 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Instructions:

Place the oil, ginger, onion, coriander, cumin, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric and salt at the base of the slow cooker.
Cut the cauliflower into large pieces and add in with the potatoes and the tomatoes and mix well.
Cover and cook the mixture for 2 hours and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally if possible. Add in the green peas and the coconut milk and mix well, cooking for another 15 minutes.
Turn of the heat and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
Stir in the lime juice and garnish with the cilantro and serve.